North York Moors National Park
 

Authority Services

Public's responsibilities

 

Your Rights of Way are:

Footpaths – on foot only

Bridleways – on foot, with a horse or bicycle, NOT with any motor vehicle

Byways open to all traffic – on foot, with a horse or cycle. They may also be used by vehicles, but they need not have a metalled surface and so are vulnerable to damage.

  • You may only use a right of way for a genuine journey with reasonable rest along the way.
  • You may take a pram, pushchair or wheelchair with you, but expect to encounter stiles on footpaths. The Authority is trying to reduce the number of stiles on footpaths by providing gates or kissing gates to ease passage of users but this can only occur with the cooperation of the landowner and many are strongly opposed to gates on rights of way because they maybe left open by users.
  • After opening gates, carefully secure them again behind you. This is particularly important if you are in a large party – if you open a gate, ensure that the last person through secures it. Open gates cost farmers considerable time and money retrieving stray livestock.
  • Do not climb walls or fences unless the public right of way is illegally obstructed. Follow a recent map carefully to ensure that you are on the right of way. If you do encounter an illegal obstruction, you may deviate a short way off the right of way or clear it sufficiently to pass. Please report any obstructions to the Rights of Way Officer at Helmsley.
  • Do not depend on waymarks, use a recent Ordnance Survey map, preferably at a scale of 1:25,000. Not all routes are waymarked, particularly in remote areas and many moorland routes are undefined. Standard waymarks are yellow on footpaths, blue on bridleways and red on byways. White arrows mark permissive paths where you are allowed to go but by permission rather than by right. Unofficial waymarks do occur despite efforts by the Authority to remove them or ensure they are not misleading, but you may still find yellow marks or "footpath" signs on bridleways.
  • Expect cyclists and horses as well as walkers on public bridleways. Bridleways vary in appearance from narrow paths to vehicular tracks just as footpaths do. Use your map to tell you the status of the route you are using so that you can expect other users, although a footpath may have been upgraded to bridleway since your map was published. Motorcycles, quad bikes and other motor vehicles are not allowed on bridleways or footpaths unless by permission of the landowner. If with permission, they must be driven with due care to the public user of the bridleway or footpath.
  • If you come across difficulties on rights of way, please tell us and we will rectify the problem if possible.

Dogs

  • You may be accompanied by a dog, under close control or, preferably, on a short lead. If your dog is off the right of way, you are liable for its trespass.
  • Do not allow your dog to approach livestock or cause sheep, cattle or horses to run. Be particularly careful at lambing time – when disturbed by dogs, ewes may be separated from their lambs or abandon them. It takes a lot of work to pair them up again and lambs could die.
  • Do not allow your dog to run free on the moor or in rough pasture throughout spring – it will disturb ground nesting birds, some of which are threatened species.
  • Expect stiles on footpaths. Most stiles are there to make a field stockproof and a dog needs to jump or be lifted over them. If your dog is not agile, you are advised to keep to bridleways. You must not damage fences or walls so that your dog can pass.